At its general meeting in Bonn, the German Animal Welfare Federation sent an urgent appeal to politicians and called for more support for animal shelters. Due to government failure and current crises, these shelters have their backs to the wall: financially, structurally and in terms of personnel. The local authorities, as well as the federal states and the federal government, are aware of the need, but deny any responsibility. Halfway through the legislative period, Animal Welfare Federation President Thomas Schröder demanded the consumption foundation for animal shelters promised by the traffic light coalition and criticized the federal government for the fact that so far hardly any of the animal welfare announcements from the coalition agreement have been implemented as promised.
"In view of exploding feed, energy and veterinary costs, general inflation and inadequate legal framework conditions, practical animal welfare in Germany is finally on the verge of collapse. Anger, despair and hopelessness prevail in the animal shelters. The local authorities have knowingly and despite all warnings allowed the animal shelters to run on empty for a long time. For the most part, the federal states look on. The federal government remains inactive, even though regulatory measures - such as a certificate of competence for pet owners or a ban on online animal trading - would be essential to relieve the burden on animal shelters," said Thomas Schröder and made it clear: "The national goal of animal welfare has obliged all levels of government to act for over 20 years." This applies now more than ever: "If the animal welfare associations are no longer able to run their animal shelters, then the veterinary offices will also no longer be able to fulfill their tasks. The animal shelter crisis is then finally a systemic crisis that directly affects the state bodies and renders them incapable of acting."
The President of the German Animal Welfare Federation also harshly criticized the fact that the consumption foundation for animal shelters promised in the coalition agreement did not make it into the 2023 federal budget and is apparently not planned for 2024 either. "Animal welfare campaigners in Germany are counting on the federal government to keep its promise," said Schröder.
TRAFFIC LIGHT COALITION FAILS ON ANIMAL WELFARE PROMISE
In addition to the consumer foundation for animal shelters, the implementation of other promising announcements from the coalition agreement is also a long time coming. "After two years in office, not a single animal welfare promise made by the SPD, Grünen and FDP has been implemented as promised, with the exception of the appointment of a Federal Animal Welfare Commissioner. This is extremely regrettable. From an animal welfare point of view, the coalition only gets a failing grade at the halfway point," commented Schröder.
